Carrier with vertical grid for supporting substrates in coater

Abstract

Various embodiments herein relate to carriers for supporting one or more substrate as the substrates are passed through a processing apparatus. In many cases, the substrates are oriented in a vertical manner. The carrier may include a frame and vertical support bars that secure the glass to the frame. The carrier may lack horizontal support bars. The carrier may allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the substrates, without any need to provide precise gaps between adjacent pairs of substrates. The carriers described herein substantially reduce the risk of breaking the processing apparatus and substrates, thereby achieving a more efficient process. Certain embodiments herein relate to methods of loading substrates onto a carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A carrier for holding at least one substrate in a substantially vertical orientation while passing through a coater that provides a coating on at least a front face of the at least one substrate, the at least one substrate having a back face disposed opposite the front face, the carrier comprising:
 a lower vertical grid mount; 
 an upper vertical grid mount; 
 a plurality of vertical support bars, at least one vertical support bar being positioned behind the back face of the at least one substrate and being engaged, by respective moveable attachments, with both the upper vertical grid mount and the lower vertical grid mount; wherein 
 the respective moveable attachments permit horizontal movement of the at least one vertical support bar along the lower vertical grid mount and the upper vertical grid mount. 
 
     
     
       2. The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners for fastening edges of the substrate to the vertical support bars. 
     
     
       3. The carrier of  claim 2 , wherein each fastener comprises at least one pin or peg. 
     
     
       4. The carrier of  claim 2 , wherein each fastener comprises at least two pins or pegs. 
     
     
       5. The carrier of  claim 2 , wherein each vertical support bar has a plurality of fastener attachment positions for attaching to the plurality of fasteners at a plurality of vertical positions, and the plurality of fastener attachment positions comprise a plurality of slots, holes, grooves, or other openings in the vertical support bars. 
     
     
       6. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein each vertical support bar engages with the at least one substrate along a flat surface of the vertical support bar. 
     
     
       7. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical support bars in combination with the lower vertical grid mount and the upper vertical grid mount define at least one aperture and a horizontal dimension of the at least one aperture is between about 50 inches and 200 inches. 
     
     
       8. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical support bars in combination with the lower vertical grid mount and the upper vertical grid mount define at least one aperture and a vertical dimension of the at least one aperture is between about 50 inches and 150 inches. 
     
     
       9. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one substrate comprises glass or plastic. 
     
     
       10. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one substrate is configured to be coated with an electrochromic device. 
     
     
       11. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the respective moveable attachments are configured to accommodate thermal expansion of the at least one substrate. 
     
     
       12. The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the respective moveable attachments comprises a spring that accommodates the thermal expansion of the at least one substrate. 
     
     
       13. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the lower vertical grid mount and/or the upper vertical grid mount comprise metal. 
     
     
       14. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertical support bars comprise metal. 
     
     
       15. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the coater includes two or more stations, the carrier further comprising a transport mechanism for moving the carrier through the coater. 
     
     
       16. The carrier of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the two or more stations includes a physical vapor deposition process. 
     
     
       17. The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a shield configured to protect at least a portion of the carrier during coating. 
     
     
       18. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is configured to permit substrates of different widths to be vertically stacked on top of one another. 
     
     
       19. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the respective moveable attachments are configured to limit movement of the plurality of vertical support bars in a direction orthogonal to the front face of the at least one substrate.